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VIC Active highlights more than 80% of fitness centres will operate at a loss under reopening plan

VIC Active highlights more than 80% of fitness centres will operate at a loss under reopening plan
October 28, 2020

According to industry body VIC Active, more than 80% of fitness centres will be operating at an unsustainable loss under the metro Melbourne reopening plan.

From 9th November 9 fitness centres in metropolitan Melbourne can accommodate a maximum of 10 patrons per space (20 max per venue) at any one time – with a maximum of one person to eight square metres, in keeping with guidelines for regional Victoria.

A recent survey of VIC Active members revealed that most owners found the restrictions impractical with many considering not opening.

VIC Active spokesperson, Tim Schleiger said it had demonstrated how fitness centres were COVIDSafe and the Victorian Government “needed to get fair dinkum about the numbers of people allowed to work out indoors.

“More than one in three owners are considering not opening at all because they will be in deep loss-making territory. These owners don’t have the capacity to carry more losses given they have essentially been shut since late March.

“Every other State and Territory in Australia recognised that fitness centres are safe if they have COVID-19 safe plans and practice established infection control measures. Victoria was the only State to keep us closed.

Schleiger added “the fitness industry has produced a COVID-19Safe reopening plan based on the proven model that was developed in New South Wales and Queensland.

“Data collected by Fitness Australia shows that from 7.31 million check-ins across 546 clubs in the first eight weeks after they reopened in NSW there were zero cases of reported community transmission.

“It is also ironic that I can go to the bottle shop, get a tattoo and have my back waxed. But I can’t easily go to my local fitness centre and work out and hopefully improve my physical and mental health.

Schleiger concludes that VIC Active is calling on the Victorian Government “to get fair dinkum. If it won’t let us operate reasonably then it’s time to provide support funding to the fitness industry as it has for events and entertainment.”

For more information on VIC Active go to www.vicactive.org  

Related Articles

13th October 2020 - Vic Active continues to call for reopening of indoor fitness centres

14th September 2020 - VIC Active considers Government’s mental health support package to be tokenistic

11th September 2020 - VIC Active claims government’s proposal for outdoor training is impractical

27th October 2020 - Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews says Melbourne’s Coronavirus restrictions will ease from Wednesday morning

25th October 2020 - Easing of Coronavirus restrictions for Regional Victoria will allow gyms and indoor pools to reopen

19th October 2020 - Victorian Premier omits ‘high-risk’ gyms from state’s reopening plans

19th October 2020 - Victorian Government announces unwinding of Melbourne’s Coronavirus restrictions but with no easing for gyms

16th October 2020 - Fitness Australia’s Barrie Elvish maintains calls for gyms to open in regional Victoria

12th October 2020 - Fitness Australia provides update on meeting with Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer

28th September 2020 - No change to fitness centre restrictions as Victorian Government eases lockdown measures

21st September 2020 - Fitness Australia’s Barrie Elvish to meet with Victoria’s Deputy Chief Health Officer to urge gym reopening

18th September 2020 - Operator questions Fitness Australia’s 26th October reopening claim for Victorian gyms

15th September 2020 - Fitness industry disappointed gyms in regional Victoria cannot reopen under this week’s Coronavirus easing

14th September 2020 - Fitness Australia calls for one-on-one training to be allowed under Victoria’s new outdoor exercise restrictions

8th September 2020 - New body to advocate for the reopening of fitness centres in Victoria

7th September 2020 - Victorian Chief Health Officer’s comments ‘devastating’ to gym owners

6th September 2020 - Fitness Australia challenges Victorian Chief Health Officer’s assertion that gyms ‘cause outbreaks’

3rd September 2020 - Victorian gym owners plan legal ‘class action’ to reopen gyms

30th August 2020 - Fitness Australia calls for Victorian Government to reclassify health and fitness facilities as an ‘essential service’ 

21st August 2020 - Fitness Australia secures support for exercise to be classed as an ‘essential service’ from Victorian shadow sport minister

19th August 2020 - FITREC highlights ‘heartbreaking’ impact of Victoria’s Coronavirus lockdown


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